The storm
by cupcakeswithsprinkles
Summary: Gabriella is all grown up and living on her own, single and not loving it so much. One night a storm knocks out the power leaving Gabriella stuck in an elevator with a very cute blue eyed stranger. One-shot. TxG T for some strong language.


**Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot.**

**This is and AU Story. Gabriella is living on her own and gets stuck in an elevator with a very hot, blue eyed stranger ;). **

The lights flickered as Gabriella Montez and her friends sat in Taylor McKessie's apartment bored. Gabriella glanced at Taylor, who was busy writing something on a piece of paper.

"What the heck are you doing Taylor?" Gabriella asked peeking over at Taylor's work.

"Yeah Taylor, what's going on?" Kelsi said Quietly. "I thought we were going out today."

"I'm sorry I was just thought of a good idea for a new book." Taylor replied jotting down a few more notes. Taylor was on the road to becoming a best-selling author, her work was being looked by a publishing company, but that also meant she was constantly jotting down notes and notes for books.

"No problem Taylor, but wasn't this supposed to be girls night. You know? Fun together before Kelsi gets married. Of course girls night is completely redundant now, because it was supposed to be for us to get some time away from our boyfriends together! I mean come on! When was the last time you had a date?" Sharpay explained loudly, speaking up for the first time that night. The lights flickered one more time, Gabriella looked up to the lights and then looked out the window, lightning cracked through the sky.

"Oh come on... look who's talking. Kelsi is the only one with a guy here, she's getting married soon, But when was the last time you had a boyfriend Sharpay? Then there's Gabriella who got cheated on by her 'One true love' three weeks ago, great love life you have there." Taylor yelled getting annoyed she just wanted to finish her story outline. Gabriella visibly winced at her last statement and Sharpay glared in Taylor's direction. Taylor felt a twinge of guilt seep through her body. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I didn't want to say that. I don't know what's wrong with me lately, i've been obsessed with writing. Sorry."

"No, no it was just the truth. I think I'm just going to head back to my apartment... okay? It's alright 1:50 am and it doesn't look like were doing anything." Gabriella said with a large sigh glancing at the clock. She got up and gathered her belongings. "We'll try this again another time."

"Goodbye Gabi, I'm really sorry." Taylor said. As soon as the large oak door closed Sharpay got up and hit Taylor on the back of the head. "I feel horrible."

"You Should! Gabriella just started to get over the horrible break-up." Sharpay said glaring coldly at Taylor.

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**2:24 am with Gabriella **

Gabriella sighed and ran a hand through her thick curls as she peered out the door of her car, up at her apartment building she just pulled up at. She looked down at her outfit and suddenly felt embarrassed, she dressed up for no reason with a short black dress that stopped mid-thigh. She really wanted to go out tonight, maybe meet someone. She was jealous of Kelsi, she has her one true love for real. She finally reached her apartment and muttered to herself.

"Freaking rain." She cursed herself for not bringing an umbrella as she opened the car door and sprinted into her apartment building, slipping and sliding in her large black heels. She tripped on the sidewalk and started to fall. She closed her eyes and braced herself to fall against the cold wet ground, but suddenly she realized she was not on the ground. A pair of strong arms caught her. "Thanks."

"No problem." The man said opening the large glass doors for her. She was suddenly embarrassed by her rain soaked skimpy dress that clung to her body with wetness. She didn't bother to glance his way as she ran through the lobby into the elevator, luckily it seemed as though no one was around in the large lobby. As she was walking towards the elevator she heard a large boom of thunder and the lights flickered yet another time. She got in the elevator and pressed twenty eight on the large panel of numbers. The large door started to peel closed as the man who caught her was telling her to hold it open for her, she politely put her arm in the door to keep it open. "What floor?"

"Twenty eight, but it looks like you got that covered already." He said with a large grin. She took this time to stare at the mystery man and she held back a gasp. He was cute. She looked at his sandy brown hair and stared into his bright blue eyes. She suddenly blushed and couldn't wait for this elevator ride to be over. She look horrible, she was drenched and her incredibly to short dress was soaking. His blue eyes held her brown ones before he obviously scanned her body the same way she did to him. She looked away with a noticeable blush and slowly the elevator began to move.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you around here before."

"I just moved in two weeks ago." He explained leaning his back against the wall when suddenly the lights went off and the elevator stopped, shaking slightly. The thunder made a loud crash.

"Oh my god!!" She screeched. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure, we'll be okay. Just breathe." He said when she started gasping for air. "Are you claustrophobic or anything?"

"No, I'm just trying to grasp onto the fact that I'm going to die in a elevator, " She said rubbing her temples. "Okay, I grasped it. It's all good." The man chuckled and put his hand on her shoulder, or at least what he thought was his shoulder, in the deep darkness of the elevator.

"We'll be okay, we'll use the emergency phone... I can't see anything!" He said picking it up and putting it back down. "Okay, now were going to die, it's broken."

"Cell phones!" She yelled digging in her large purse for her cell phone. The Lights flickered back on and the both smiled. "Thank god!"

She grabbed her cell phone and texted Sharpay. _I'm stuck in the elevator at my apartment with a hot guy! HELP! _

"Good idea." The man said talking out his own cell phone making a text and then dialing a number, while Gabriella's phone started ringing loudly.

"GABRIELLA! Send me a picture of the hottie in the elevator." Sharpay's voice, which was groggy with sleep, screeched through the small phone. Gabriella cringed into the phone from the high pitch.

"Sharpay, I was thinking that you should come to my apartment building to tell someone were stuck in the elevator, I don't think anyone has noticed. When I was going into the elevator no one was around. And don't you think a picture is a little obvious?" Gabriella replied in a dry tone as she turned to look at the blue-eyed mystery man. He was holding his phone in the air and pointing it at Gabriella. A loud snap rang out in the confined space.

"Just getting a picture of who I'm going to die with." He said smoothly. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and shuffled his feet. Gabriella smiled shyly and stared at his toned muscles.

"So what I want to see him!" Sharpay said on the other end of the phone, bringing her back to reality.

"Please just get me out of here, I'm really tired. Get Taylor or Kelsi if you don't want to come. Sorry for waking you." Gabriella said with a thick yawn. Gabriella hung up and slunk to the ground.

"Chad please come, or get Zeke to come here and tell someone were stuck in a damn elevator." The man said in an annoyed voice into the phone. "Don't be stupid Chad, that won't work!"

He hung up the phone and sat next to Gabriella.

"What's your name?" Gabriella asked in a tired voice, the lights flickered off again but instantly came back on. She let out a breath of relief, she hated the dark, she usually even slept with her small television on.

"My name is Troy Bolton. Yours?"

"Gabriella Montez, nice to meet you, wish it could be better circumstances. I can't believe this." She groaned closing her eyes. She looked around the small space and sighed.

"So where were you coming from? I mean you dressed up and stuff." Troy asked but immediately started talking again. "Oh sorry if thats nosy or something, I just wanted to ask and I didn't know-" Troy ranted loudly as Gabriella cut him off.

"No, no it's alright. We have to pass the time somehow. I was coming from my best friend Taylor's apartment. It's girls night, we were supposed to get together and have a crazy night in the town before the wedding, but it kind of fell apart." Gabriella explained sighing heavily and leaning her head back on the wall. God she was tired.

"Your wedding?" He asked curiously, his heart slightly sinking as he realized this brown eyed brunette might be taken. He frowned, but then put on a fake smile.

"God no! My friend Kelsi is getting married." She replied quickly and loudly as if he asked her if she had three heads. Troy noticed this as a sign she probably didn't have a boyfriend. He decided to pry.

"Ah I see." Troy responded rubbing the back of his head, trying to keep the grin off of his face, he settled with a slight smile. "You seemed a little surprised at the idea of you getting anywhere near marriage." He accused with a small chuckle.

"Well, I don't know. Marriage just seems like something so far off for me lately. I was close to marriage. I was engaged for a short time," She replied with remorse.

"Would you mind to explain what happened. I'm entertained." Troy informed her. She giggled quietly.

"Well, I was with this guy and I loved him-- well I thought I did and he was an ass." She paused to laugh and blink her eyes, tears threatening to fall. "Anyway he asked me to marry him and I was really happy. Then three weeks ago I walked in to his apartment to surprise him and another girl in his bed with him." A couple tears fell down her flushed cheeks. Troy placed his hand on her shoulder and stared into her eye's with sympathy. "So basically my ex is a--" She searched for a good word

"Jerk, asshole, mother fuc--" Troy finished for her but was cut off by Gabriella's manic laughter. Gabriella felt something for this stranger, he was sweet and he seemed to really care for her.. no matter the fact they met a mere half hour ago. Her eye's sparkled with delight whenever he spoke. she couldn't even start on his good looks. Little did she know, he was thinking the same thing, his eye's were wandering down her curves with happiness. She was perfect. She was what he needed, though they only met minutes ago. They felt a pull towards each other, and the same question was rolling in their minds. Is love at first sight possible?

"You really know how to make a girl feel better don't you?" She asked with a soft giggle escaping her pink lips.

"Why yes. That would be my occupation." He said while Gabriella giggled yet again. "How old are you Miss Gabriella?"

"I am 24 years old, and yourself?"

"Woah. I'm also 24, weird coincidence." Troy stated shocked.

"Troy, um, would you mind if I used your shoulder as a pillow so I can get a little sleep." She asked awkwardly. Troy's face broke out in a large grin.

"Yeah, no problem." He said as she gently rested her head on his large, welcoming shoulder. She closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep, while Troy leaned his head on hers and fell into his own sleep.

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**3:04 am with Sharpay and Taylor.**

Sharpay drove sleepily to Gabriella's apartment with Taylor in the seat beside her. 3 AM for god's sake, Sharpay thought glaring at the glowing dashboard clock of her car. Taylor yawned visibly and started to fall asleep until Sharpay's shrill voice rang out through the car.

"Sleep, bed. Ah!' Sharpay said trying to keep her focus on the road. How hard that is at 3 am, she thought carelessly. At least they were peeling down large, _empty _streets as no one was stupid enough to be out at 3 am. _Except for them. _

"Well, we may be dead tired, but poor Gabriella is stuck in cold, small elevator." Taylor said glumly.

"Yeah well at least she's with a hot guy!" Sharpay exclaimed slapping herself awake. They pulled up silently to the large apartment building and noticed another car pulling into the lot. "Well it seems we are not the only crazy ones in this shitty town." Sharpay stated as she parked in the closet spot she could find.

"Whatever, lets just get inside so we can save Gabriella. Then we can all get some much needed sleep." Taylor said opening the passenger door and stepping into the slowing rain. She hustled inside the building concentrated on not slipping, looking down to her feet. She ran into the occupant of the car Sharpay was talking about.

"Are you alight?" He asked concerned while they finished their way into the building.

"Of course... sorry about that. I'm just in a small hurry," She said looking up into the chocolate eyes of a hot guy. He was african-american and he towered above her, his bushy afro making him appear even taller than he already was. "My friend is stuck in an elevator." She said with a small, tired laugh.

"No way, thats why I am here. My friend is stuck in the elevator too, with a little hottie. He is so crushing on the girl he is stuck with. He even sent me a picture of her!" The man babbled on.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that 'hottie' is my friend," Taylor said with a sigh. This guy was too adorable for his own good.

"Oh my god! I didn't even make that connection." He said while Taylor laughed shortly. "My name's Chad... What's yours?"

"I'm Taylor." She said shaking his hand politely. Now where the heck is Sharpay? Taylor wandered. Taylor peered behind her back to see Sharpay talking with a tall man, probably friends with Chad. "We should probably tell the person at the main desk what's going on."

Chad nodded and they made their way down to the desk explaining the problem while Sharpay was still talking to the tall, handsome man.

"My name's Sharpay! What's yours?" She asked with her high pitched voice.

"I'm Zeke." He stated peering down at the cute blonde before him. He was lucky.

"So I am here because my best friend is stuck in a freaking elevator... can you believe that? I was like freaking out, especially when she informed me that she was stuck in there with a hot guy!" Sharpay explained to the stranger, giggling loudly.

"That hot guy is my best friend!" He said understanding everything, the hot girl in the picture Troy sent to Chad was Sharpay's friend. It started to make sense. "That's why I am here! My friend's stuck in the same elevator."

"No way!" Sharpay said loudly. They followed over to where their friends were and listened in on the end of the conversation. The employee of the building was awe-struck. She called a repair company and they promised to come as soon as possible. Which was a few hours considering the storm, they stated how busy they already were. Taylor, Sharpay, Chad, and Zeke waited on a couch and Taylor and Sharpay excused themselves to the ladies room calling Gabriella as soon as they opened the door.

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**3:34 with Gabriella. **

She dreamt of love. Finding love with a certain sandy haired boy. They were holding hands, they were walking to her apartment and when they got to the door he leaned down to kiss her soft pink lips, but before they kissed the phone rang. She suddenly realized the dream was over a she was back in reality, her cell was ringing. She realized she was cuddled into Troy's chest with his arm around her. She quickly wiggled out and answered her phone while Troy stirred and woke up as well. She answered her phone with a groggy hello.

"Gabriella, we met guys. Great guys. Oh my god!" Sharpay's voice rang out.

"That's great guys!" Gabriella said enthusiastically. She automatically assumed Taylor was with her. "I'm so happy for you, but what's happening with the elevator situation?"

"The repair men said they were coming as soon as possible, but it may take an hour or so." Taylor informed her, joining in the conversation. "Guess what though?"

"What?" Gabriella said giggling softly because Troy fell back asleep and was stroking hair.

"The guys we met are friends with your elevator boy." Sharpay answered for Taylor. They explained the entire situation to a surprised Gabriella.

"Oh.my.god." Gabriella said astonished. She said it a little to loud and Troy completely woke up this time yawning and stretching and eventually trying to get hi hand untangled from Gabriella's hair. Gabriella bursted out laughing as Troy tugged at his hand trying not to pull to hard. "Well I got to go girls, bye!" Gabriella said hanging up.

"How the heck did this happen?" Troy asked confused while Gabriella untangled his hand carefully. He got it successfully out and she gigged.

"You were like stroking my hair while you were asleep while I was talking to my friends." She said as they both laughed. She laughed happily. He laughed completely mortified.

"Sorry!"

"No problem, but anyway I have two pieces of news. Number one, they called the repair company and their coming as soon as possible. Number two, your two friends that are downstairs for you are totally crushing on my friends that our downstairs, and vice versa." Gabriella informed Troy.

"No way!" He said in disbelief. They both leaned back on the elevator wall waiting for the repair men. They talked and talked, about their past, their jobs, what they want in the future, and just the littlest of things. They knew they were falling fast and hard for the other, but oblivious that the feeling was, in fact, mutual. Gabriella rested her head on Troy's chest and sighed.

"Give me a random fact about yourself." Gabriella stated after another half hour of talking.

"I love basketball. What about another fact about you?"

"I love science and math Weird I know." He chuckled in surprise at her answer.

"What are you thinking Miss Montez?"

"I'm wandering if it's creepy that even though I'm stuck in an elevator, I'm strangely happy and I don't want to get out." She told him as he shook his head no. "Besides the fact that I have to pee and I'm very hungry."

"No, no... it isn't creepy because I feel that way too," He replied, his heart pounding with joy. She looked up at him and leaned her head up and their lips touched. They kissed for what seemed like a second but what they didn't know time had went by and the doors to the elevator were being pulled apart. They jumped up in surprise as people in jumpsuits opened the elevator doors. They leaned down and told Troy to push Gabriella up and out of the elevator. He did as he was told and pushed her up and then, struggling, pulled himself up and out of the small elevator. When out of the elevator they noticed their friends... Zeke and Sharpay were making out. Chad and Taylor were in intense discussion about something unknown. They abruptly stopped and stared at Troy and Gabriella.

"Yay you out of the elevator." Sharpay said. "Oh he is cute!" Gabriella blushed while Troy chuckled and looked at Gabriella with question.

"Cute eh?" Troy whispered into Gabriella's ear.

"I only stated the truth." Gabriella whispered back. Troy grinned widely.

"Hey man. So thats the hottie?" Chad asked stupidly. Troy walked over and slapped Chad in the back of the head.

"Hottie eh?" Gabriella mocked with a giggle.

"Hey! I only stated the truth." Gabriella laughed loudly and looked over to her friends. Chad gave Taylor a peck on the lips and Zeke and Sharpay were back to a busy lip lock.

"What the hell happened while we were stuck in the elevator?" Troy stood beside Gabriella rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.

"I have no idea." Gabriella replied pushing her hair behind her ear. "This is weird."

"Really weird." Troy looked into Gabriella's deep brown eyes and kissed her passionately, tasting strawberry on her lips. "I think I might be falling in love with you."

"I'm thinking the same thing elevator boy," Gabriella said taking his hands in hers. Gabriella looked into his blue eyes, her mind in deep concentration.

"What are you thinking about elevator girl?" Troy noticed the thought-fullness in her eyes.

"I'm thinking thank the lord for storms... and elevators."

**The end. **

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